2nd Pakistani ship carrying humanitarian aid arrives at Turkish port

By Sezgin Pancar

MERSIN, Türkiye (AA) - The second Pakistani ship carrying humanitarian aid for earthquake victims arrived at Türkiye’s southern Mersin International Port on Thursday, which marks Pakistan's Republic Day.

The ship, PNS Moawin, belonging to Pakistan's navy, set off from Karachi Port on March 11.

It carried 2,600 winter tents, blankets and various aid materials for those afflicted by the Feb. 6 earthquakes.

Speaking at a ceremony held to mark Pakistan Day, Türkiye’s Deputy Interior Minister Ismail Catakli said Türkiye and Pakistan always stand by each other in difficult times.

"The solidarity shown, particularly in difficult times, is the most concrete example of the strong ties between our countries and our peoples, and of acting with the motto 'no doubt, believers are brothers,'" he added.

Search and rescue teams from 90 countries, including Pakistan, and humanitarian aid from 130 countries to quake-hit regions in Türkiye helped the country heal the wounds of the disaster, he said.

The Turkish deputy minister also commemorated Pakistan on its Republic Day, saying: "We are full of faith that our bilateral relations, which are at an excellent level, will gain momentum and develop on the basis of the common interests of the two countries in the coming periods."

The day commemorates the adoption of the independence resolution, commonly known as the Pakistan Resolution, in Lahore in 1940, which demanded for the first time an independent state comprised of Muslim-majority states in India under British colonial rule.

The adoption of the landmark resolution subsequently led to the creation of Pakistan on Aug. 14, 1947, bringing an end to over 150 years of British colonial rule.

Türkiye’s Deputy National Defense Minister Suay Alpay said Türkiye and Pakistan will continue to cooperate more in the future, as they have done so far, particularly in the fields of defense, security and the defense industry.

For his part, Pakistani Ambassador Yousaf Junaid said: "Fraternal Pakistan-Turkiye relationship is founded on common faith, cultural and linguistic affinities and a shared history. The colors of two flags may differ, yet the symbols of the crescent and the star are one and the same."

"March 23 is an important day for Pakistan and so is the solidarity with our Turkish brothers, therefore we decided to commemorate our national day on the ship which arrived from Pakistan this morning carrying earthquake relief assistance supplies," Junaid added.

The first Pakistani military ship carrying 22,000 blankets, 1,800 winter tents, and various support materials arrived at the Mersin port on Monday.